


Unite!

by Leaves_Crown



Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis, ちはやふる | Chihayafuru
Genre: Established Relationship, Love, Multi, sport
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-21
Updated: 2015-02-21
Packaged: 2018-03-14 10:55:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3407966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leaves_Crown/pseuds/Leaves_Crown
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shishido was looking forward to staying with Ohtori in Kyoto. He's annoyed when he hears Ohtori has unexpected guests, until he meets them and gets pulled into the world of karuta.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unite!

Ohtori never needed to stand on his toes to see over a crowd, but he did so anyway. Hoping the slightly added height would make him able to spot Shishido even faster, he glanced in all directions.

His first semester in Kyoto had been stressful: far away from his family, friends and boyfriend, it had taken time to adjust. Now he liked it here. He had gotten used to learning in a different way from when he had just crammed for tests. University was fun, more challenging and interactive than high school.

“Choutarou.”

He spun around, bumping into a middle-aged man in the process.

“I am sorry, I do apologize.”

The man gave a curt nod and pressed on.

Ohtori forgot about him the moment he saw his love.“Shishido-san!”

The other young man looked up at him. “It’s good to see ya.”

“You too.” His voice was unsteady. “I missed you a lot.”

“Don’t be so emotional,” Shishido said, but he radiated the same happiness Ohtori felt.

Shishido had come here in the winter vacation as well. They had clung to each other at night, desperate to reconnect in that most intimate of ways. From the looks Shishido threw him as they walked to the street where Ohtori stayed, it was clear he intended to do the same.

“Shishido-san, just so you know, a few people are staying over.”

That made Shishido stop in the street. “What? Which people?”

“My aunt’s friend has a son who’s in uni as well. He has a reunion with a bunch of club friends.”

“That needs to happen now? And in your house?!”

“It’s my aunt’s house,” Ohtori reminded him. “I’m just staying there.”

“Fuck.”

Ohtori swallowed. “I’m really sorry.”

At his clear distress, Shishido’s expression softened. “It’s okay, Choutarou. It’s just…I… well you know.”

“You missed me too.” Ohtori nodded. “I know.”

“So, I have to stay on the couch or something?”

“No, we’ll still sleep upstairs together. If we’re quiet, we can still make love… if you want.”

Shishido continued walking. “Of course I want that.”

“But…?”

“They might not be so tolerant as our team mates. I don’t want you to get in trouble with your aunt if one of them hears us.”

 

“They’ll only stay until tomorrow afternoon,” Ohtori reassured. “They’re going to Fukui afterwards.”

“That’s good, I guess.”

They walked on. Shishido seemed a little apprehensive, probably bracing himself in case he would have to deal with snobs or people who would be weirded out by their relationship.

Ohtori took his key ring from his pocket when they reached the old-fashioned house at the corner of the street. Inside, several pairs of shoes lay on the mat. He took a pair of slippers and offered them to Shishido. It was earily quiet.

A little hesitant, Ohtori pushed open the door.

Someone recited poetry.

Confused, Ohtori took in the scene before him. A girl in a beautiful, red kimono was the singer. The moment she set in a new line, the three pairs on the tatami mats moved like lighting. Cards were snatched and put on a pile.

The handsome boy with light hair spotted them first. He stood up and bowed for Shishido. “Thank you for letting us stay here, Ohtori-san.”

“This is Ohtori,” Shishido said, laying his hand on his lover’s arm. “You are?”

Handsome had a disarming smile. “Mashima Taichi. Pleased to meet you.”

The other people also stood up, following his example. Names were called, too many to remember all at once. Ohtori noticed the beauty of the light-haired girl, the confidence of the guy who introduced himself as Nishida.

“Thank you for letting us play karuta here,” the young woman in kimono said. “My name is Oe Kanade.”

“You guys sure are fast,” Shishido let out.

Ohtori looked at him. He sounded intrigued.

“Years of practice,” the beautiful girl said. “You should try!”

“I’ve played at new year a few times, when I was younger,” Ohtori said. “I have no way of competing with you.”

“Karuta is fun!” she replied, taking his arm, pulling him down to the mat. “Look at how we play and then play a game of your own!”

“Eh…”

But Shishido had an amused smile on his face, and did not seem intent on saving him.

“Oh and you, Pretty Hair, can watch Arata.”

“Pretty Hair?” Shishido repeated.

“Yes, sit with Arata.”

Baffled at being so commanded, Shishido nevertheless found himself kneeling on the mat. A dark-haired man with glasses gave him a cool nod. “Know that I have no mercy even for beginners.”

Shishido arched an eyebrow. “Suits me fine.”

They watched them go for card after cards. This bunch, no matter how unalike they were, were no amateurs or make-shift team. They were at the top of the karuta world.

Not one card did Shishido take from Wataya Arata. Yet the top-player gasped throughout. Shishido did not just have speed, but he used it with focus. If the cards had been as familiar and meaningful to him as to these others, he would have given them a run for their money.

“Well done,” Arata said. “You have played before?”

“No. Just watched my cousin play a few times.”

Arata looked at him thoughtfully. “Then how are you this fast?”

“Tennis,” Shishido responded promptly.

“Tennis.” Arata let the word roll over his tongue.

“Thank you very much,” Ohtori bowed for the short woman in kimono who had beaten him so thoroughly.

Elegantly, Kanade bowed back, thanking him in turn.

“Would you like to play again?” the woman they now knew as Chihaya asked.

“We have to work on dinner,” Ohtori said.

She smiled back. “No need. In return for letting us stay, we’ll order sushi. It will be our treat.”

“That’s great!” Ohtori replied. “We love sushi.”

As he and Kanade checked for restaurants on his laptop, Shishido sat down opposite Chihaya.

“You’re any good?” he asked.

Taichi smiled. “Try and find out.”

Shishido was so engrossed with the game and his opponent’s skill that he had to almost be dragged to the table when the sushi arrived. Chihaya had beaten him, of course, but unlike with a tennis loss, it did not put him in an ill mood.

While others dipped pieces of sushi in soy sauce and ate, he asked question after question about karuta. Amused, Ohtori quietly served them drinks. And it was then that he spotted something.

Sitting in the middle of Arata and Taichi, Chihaya held two hands, one of each.

The two young men seemed to be aware of it, and content as well.

Excited, he sat down next to Shishido.

Chihaya and Nishida started a weird discussion about how to bake pancakes, so Ohtori felt free to lean a little closer to him. “I don’t think we have to worry,” he whispered.

“About what?”

“They’re in an unconventional relationship themselves; they’re not going to care.”

“Really? In what kind of…”

“Ryou-kun?” Chihaya queried.

Shishido blinked at being so familiarly addressed. “What?”

“Will you come with us tomorrow, sightseeing I mean?”

“I…”

“Perhaps you would do me the honour of teaching me more about tennis?” Arata asked.

Nishida frowned. “You’re not coming along?”

“I’ve been to Kyoto many times. It’s not that far from Fukui.”

“I understand,” Chihaya said. “I bet Ryou-kun can teach you new skils that might come in handy when playing karuta.”

“Karuta is really important to you, isn’t it?” Ohtori asked.

To his shock they all looked at him silently.

He held up his hands. “Okay, it is, got it!”

Taichi was the first to give a reassuring smile. “It’s okay, Ohtori-kun. We’re a bit fanatic about it. Don’t mind us.”

Under the table. Shishido’s hand reached for Ohtori’s. “I bet it’s just like tennis for us.”

It made Ohtori relax. For minutes he just listened to them talk. Their banter reminded him of his old team. They all seemed so at ease with each other.

Two more rounds of karuta were held after dinner. Ohtori participated in neither of them, but Shishido played with great enthusiasm. He managed to take three cards from Nishida and one from Arata.

Ohtori washed the dishes with Taichi and Kanade.

“Thank you so much for having us over,” Kanade said.

“Yes.” Taichi put a plate back into the right cupboard. “I was afraid we might impose, but you and Shishido have made us very welcome.”

Ohtori blushed. The idea of him and Shishido receiving them as if they were already a couple both embarrassed and delighted him. He wondered if they suspected.

“I have futons for all of you. Perhaps Chihaya and you would like to sleep upstairs,” he said to Kanade.

“No. You and Shishido-san probably have a lot to… discuss after all this time apart.” Kanade smiled. “I am used to sharing accommodations with them. And Chihaya, well, she even sleeps in the middle of tournaments.”

“In the middle of tournaments?” Ohtori chuckled. “That sounds like one of my old team mates.”

*

It was almost midnight when the futons were rolled out. Nishida had fallen asleep on the couch by then, so Taichi and Arata gently helped him down. Kanade wore an old fashioned dress that reached to her ankles. She yawned, lay down and slept while the others were still brushing teeth.

“Let’s go upstairs, Choutarou.”  
Shishido gave him such a sultry look that he lost his trail of thought. He took his hand as they walked up the stairs and led him to the bedroom.


End file.
